In the past, turret disk systems have been designed to generally accommodate limited types or classes of tooling. For example, it is common to find turret systems that will accommodate conventional or manual tooling such as a shank-type tool holder but incapable of accommodating semi or fully automatic tools or a live or driven tools. The result of this is that tool builders and end users find themselves locked into a position where they have no flexibility in implementing a standardized flexible quick-change tooling system. This point is illustrated by the fact that an end user can purchase a turret system that has the limited capability of accommodating only one or two classes of quick-change tooling and which is unable to accommodate more advanced and sophisticated quick-change tooling such as those classes of tools typically referred to as semi or fully automatic quick-change tooling and live or driven tooling. In time, the same end user will often find himself in a position where it is desirable to utilize these more advanced and sophisticated quick-change tools but because of the design and limited flexibility of the turret system, the end user is placed in a position where he has but one alternative, that alternative being to purchase a new turret system designed specifically to accommodate the desired class of tooling.
Moreover, conventional turret systems have not been adapted to enhance machine and operator efficiency, reduce cost or improve productivity. For example, in conventional turret disk systems, it is not unusual to find efficiency as low as twenty percent with the operator spending as much as sixty percent of his time setting up the turret system and with the remaining twenty percent being divided between idle and stop time.
Thus, there is a need for a turret disk system which facilitates tools standardization and tool management by enhancing machine flexibility. In this same regard, there is a need for a turret disk system that will accommodate a wide range of tool classes including manual tools, manual quick-change tools, semi or fully automatic quick-change tools, and live or driven tools.